……“The different incarnations
of God and the Perfect Masters came on this earth to reveal
this Ultimate Truth to the human beings through their conduct
and precepts. The instances of their exemplary actions, at
times bordering on miracles created a conviction about their
superior powers in the minds of the devotees. Initially, it
is these wonderful and unexplainable miracles that started
drawing devotees towards these most powerful entities of nature.
Would one like to logically understand the causes of such
acts of miracles, at the end of his search, one will find
that one’s limited intelligence and intellect are a poor instrument
to properly appreciate such phenomena. Even if the human race
has gone beyond the earth and landed on the moon, yet the
question that naturally comes to mind is : What exactly has
been achieved by the homosapiens in the context of the yet
unconquered universes having millions and billions of solar
systems? It seems like an ant moving from one pebble to another
pebble on a sea shore. As the spiritual Masters have revealed
from time to time, beyond the boundaries of the perceptible
and imperceptible universes there lies the vastness of an
infinite void or ‘Mahashunya’. Only after crossing the chains
of universes, can one enter that void. In the path of spiritual
journey, the first step is to cross this void and have an
experience of the eternal being or primordial being or the
‘Adipurusha’ or ‘Ananta Purusha’.

Given this unimagined
and unimaginable vastness of the creation of god, is it possible
to comprehend or cross this vastness with the help of our
very limited intellect and by the endeavors of a lifetime?
A positive answer to this question will indicate that the
person has not entered the path leading to the spiritual world
as yet. A negative answer will indicate that he is yet to
understand the potentiality of a human soul which is part
of the over-soul. If one reacts to this question neither in
affirmation or negation, then he is in a neutral state of
mind which can simply be called a state of ‘be as it may’.
This is a better state of mind than otherwise, in order to
evolve in the path. If a man is in such a state of mind then
who will give him a correct answer and who possibly can lead
him in the path? In the ‘Satyayug’ the answers to such questions
were revealed through ‘Meditation’ (Samadhi). In Tretayug
through ‘Yoga’, in Dwarparayug though ‘Yagna’ and today in
the Kaliyug it is being revealed through ‘Science’. However,
the answer given by Science is due to a natural process of
expansion of the cerebral capacities of human beings as ordained
by nature. But would one like to shorten the process of his
evolution and grow at a faster pace, he has to go through
a certain special experimentation on himself. He has to bring
into focus, one’s entire physical and mental potentialities
and to combine it with his will power by increasing the will
power enormously. In short, he has to put his entire energy,
time, will and aspirations into a single focus of attraction.
Experience with the ‘laws of human motivation’ has shown that
love and not fear can create the highest motivation in a human
being. If the approach to this path emanates out of devotion
and love, rather than fear then the path becomes easier and
takes less time.

The laws of nature are
well defined, exact and operate universally. To understand
these natural laws, one should have similar thought vibration
and insight. All the saints on this earth had a simple, innocent
and guileless personality. It is difficult, rather impossible,
to evolve in the path of spiritualism purely with an intellectual
and logical approach. Kabir, Nanak, Tukaram, Meera, Ravidas,
Budha, Christ, Sri Sai Nath all went through this path and
made people under¬stand only this path. Sri Sai Nath,
inspite of being in the state of total divinity, lived with
illiterate and semiliterate rural folks of Shirdi for more
than sixty years. He established a tradition with these people
which is today attracting millions of others from within the
country and abroad. Millions of intellectuals have surrendered
at his feet after getting attracted by this simplicity and
truthfulness. This is so, because the soul is always in search
of simplicity, peace and love. Wherever these qualities appear,
they become centres of attraction. This is not the attraction
of intellect but the attraction of the soul. This is not based
on fear but on devotion and love.

Let us pray at the holy
feet of Sri Sai Nath who is always there to help His devotees
in their spiritual evolution through the easiest path he has
shown.”…….

FROM
"LIFE OF SAI BABA" BY NARASIMHA SWAMI

……“One must always remember
that there are laws of one’s own being and God’s plan for
all creatures. Anyone who wishes sincerely to achieve his
own soul’s welfare would pause to study what his duties are
and seek the help of great ones and Gurus to guide him in
his path, then by surrendering himself to great ones, allow
his evil vasanas to be crushed out and good vasanas to be
developed, and ultimately to get both sets of vasanas which
are part of one’s personality to be drowned in the contemplation
of the Guru-God. This is the teaching about Karma by Sadhakas
to Baba. The law of Karma is decried by people who do not
understand it. Some say that Karma can never be got rid off.
There is an element of truth in that statement. But the way
in which it is put as above is misleading and wrong. The law
of Karma is merely the law of cause and effect. To say that
an effect cannot be rectified or modified is absurd. If cause
A produces the effect B, it is absurd to say that B must always
continue to be B and nothing can change it. Just as cause
A produces effect B, cause C impinging upon B may make changes
in the effect. The fact is that most acts done with a purpose
are producing certain tendencies and certain other results.
One should not confuse the actual result or reward earned
by an act with the tendency. The tendency can and should always
be met if it is an evil tendency. To say that karma is inexorable,
and nothing can change it, is positively absurd. Generally
people think of tendencies when putting forward that proposition
and one can be positive that all tendencies may change by
stimuli pro¬ducing opposite tendencies. Sinfulness is
a tendency and it can always and should always be met by virtuous
actions, virtuous contacts, holy readings and Satsang. As
for the rewards, it is often said,

Avascyam Anubhoktavyam
Kritam karma scubha Ascubham.

that is, what one has earned as a reward or punishment for
one’s act, good or evil must of necessity be endured. This
is generally speaking true. But it is not true in the way
in which it is baldly put. A person who commits murder is
liable to be hanged. But he may also have other forms of punishment
either immediately or later on. The sentences may be altered,
reduced, and even completely condoned on such occasions as
the King's Birthday pardons. Therefore, it is not correct
to say that the reward or punishment earned by conduct is
unalterable. Everything on earth is liable to change or mitigate
and if we remember this, we shall be able to meet the objections
sometimes raised to Sai Baba’s statement about karma. In the
very opening Charters of Baba’s Charters and Sayings, we find
Baba’s statement. ‘If one puts his foot on Shirdi soil his
karma is abolished’. Many a man wonders whether that is possible
especially in view of the dictum quoted above, Avascyam Anubhoktavyam.
Baba also told Chandorkar that certain broad decisions arrived
at as to the birth and death of people are treated as facts
resulting from previous acts of individuals. Regarding birth
of a child, death of a son¬-in-law, about which Chandorkar
was anxious to make Baba work on his behalf, Baba declared
that they were the result of previous karma and could not
be altered. In a sense that is true. Certain births and certain
deaths are all fixed by series of antecedent events, but yet
Baba is able to mould these and shape these, at certain stages
and modify these for the benefit of the concerned devotees.
When talking to Dr. Chidambaram Pillai, Baba explained the
correct doctrine. Dr. Pillai had been suffering intensely
from guinea worm. He told a friend to go and report to Baba
that his sufferings were intolerable and to request Baba to
transfer these sufferings to some ten later births of his
and leave him free from the sufferings in this janma. When
this was reported to Baba, the latter sent for Pillai and
told him, ‘What, you want ten janmas? What has to be endured
in ten janmas can be crushed into ten days by the power of
Satpurushas’. So, Baba ordered him to remain with his legs
outstretched at Dwarakamayee and he told him that a crow would
come and peck at his wound and cure him. In a few days, Abdul,
Baba’s permanent attendant, carelessly put his foot down upon
Pillai’s wound and crushed all the guinea worms out of it,
merely by accident as, he Pillai, would have thought. But
nothing done at the Mosque to Pillai could be considered as
an accident, and Baba said that Abdul was the crow, and that
no further crow was wanted to peck at Pillai’s wound. Pillai
was then asked to go home, and in ten days, the entire suffering
from guinea worm was cured.

In another case, that of Bhimaji, who had serious chest diseases
such as asthma and tuberculosis, Baba first told Shama, ‘In
bringing this thief to me what a load of responsibility you
are placing on me. Baba meant that the tuberculosis and asthma
from which Bhimaji suffered were the result of Bhimaji’s karma
in a previous janma consisting of theft. Bhimaji felt Baba’s
declaration a blow. At once he surrendered himself to Baba
and said, Helper of the helpless! I am helpless. Pray show
pity and grace to me. Then Baba’s tone changed, Baba told
him, The Fakir is merciful, and your disease will be cured.
He was suffering from the results of karma, but that could
be mitigated, and so the man was sent to live and sleep in
a wet verandah. Bhimaji did so. There, he had two very dreadful
dreams: In one dream, he was mercilessly birched by a school
master. For, in the dream he fancied he was a boy and the
master was birching him. So, he felt the pain in the dream
and roared out. In the second dream, it was even worse. He
felt that some one was placing a stone roller and rolling
it over his breast. He suffered all the horror of instant
death approaching him. All the pain of a hanging sentence
and whipping sentence were endured by this man in the course
of one night. Baba thus changed the punishment which he had
earned by his previous karma, and told him that he was thus
free from karmic effects. He then recovered his health. The
above instances go to show that most of our conceptions about
karma are nebulous and ungrounded, and that the safest course
for us to follow would be to be guided by the dicta of Satpurushas
like Sai Baba.”……

ARTICLE

“Surrender"
– Path To Liberation

This whole Universe, with its varied
natural forms and creations is a manifestation of the ‘Will’
of God. The universal life force behind this reality of Brahman
is the positive energy – pure universal consciousness, ‘Self’
being its integral part. At the individual consciousness level
therefore "He is the real Me and real You". One,
however, cannot perceive Him with gross eyes. The veils of
Maya form layers of illusions blocking the vision to Almighty
Brahman. To attain this wisdom, one has to approach a worthy
Saint: a Sadguru, who has himself, attained God vision. What
cannot be achieved through reading of Vedas and other religious
scriptures or hearing religious lectures, can be achieved
under the blessings and guidance of such Souls. The objects
of life such as Dharma, Artha and Kama are achievable by our
efforts but the fourth object ‘Moksha’ can be attained only
with the blessings and guidance of a Sadguru. Shri Shirdi
Sai was such a Sadguru who while living in physical form,
by His 'life's actions' always imparted spiritual wisdom and
showed people, irrespective of caste, colour & creed,
the path to spirituality and liberation. He continues to guide
and bless one and all even today from His 'Samadhi' in SHIRDI.

Sai always said “We get
human body as a result of merits in the past births and it
is worthwhile, that with its aid, we should obtain devotion
and liberation in this life." The purpose of life indeed
is not to live a physical existence in this materialistic
world, full of evils of passion, anger, pride, envy by man
against man, generating 'negative sanskars' but to realize
'Self and 'Brahman'.

This 'Self of ours is
surrounded by three basic walls of Gross, Subtle and the Casual
Bodies. There are several paths to pierce these three walls
before experiencing glimpses of divinity in the 'Brahmrandhra'
the Seventh ‘Sahasrashar’ Chakra. The Four known paths are
: 'Bhaktiyoga', 'Karamayoga', 'Jnanayoga' and 'Rajyoga'. Whatever
path one may follow, it is always a lifelong process of 'surrender'
and deep concentration, with all purity of mind and intense
desire to realize 'Self and 'Creator' of this Universe. When
the powers of mind are concentrated and turned back upon it,
the mind penetrates its innermost secrets and enlightens us
by revealing the real meaning of man's existence in this world.
The journey to spirituality realized through any chosen medium,
helps remove negative energy within a man, and transforms
his Sanskars gradually with positive energy. This positive
energy then radiates his ‘inner Self’ and the 'aura' around
him. The inner dynamism, joy, peace and compassion emerge
from this chosen path of Divinity. As this spiritual awareness
expands, a Sadhak is able to see through 'Maya' and finally,
the divine light which communicates to him - 'Aham Brahmasmi'.
The Sadhak begins to live within the spiritual fragrance of
Satya, Chita and Anand – an experience of absolute Existence,
Knowledge and Bliss.

The truth and intrinsic strength
in all the four paths to Self realization and realization
of God, however, lay in the whole hearted "devotion and
surrender” – an unconditional and unflinching faith in the
existence and supremacy of Almighty. All spirituality is in
fact embodied in the "Total Surrender." Bhagavad
Gita expresses the same secret 'Sarva Dharman Parityajya Namakan
Saranam Vraja’. It means be thou fully surrendered to His
Will. All your sins will be pardoned. Holy Bible reiterates
the same message. Prophet Muhammad always strolled about with
His head lowered and His message was "Be surrendered".

Sai Baba is not finite or limited.
He dwells in all beings from ants and insects to God Brahman.
He pervades all. How beautiful one day at noon after the Arti,
He gave the following advice to Anna Chinchanikar : “Remember
that all what you do is known to me. I am the inner ruler
of all and seated in their hearts… I am the controller the
wire-puller of the show of this universe. I am the Mother-origin
of all beings the harmony of the three gunas, the Creator,
Preserver and Destroyer. Nothing will harm him, who turns
his attention towards Me, but Maya will lash or whip him who
forgets Me. All the insects, ants, the visible, movable and
immovable world is My Body or Form.” By this Baba conveyed
that He is infinite, omnipresent and controller of this universe.
Baba also said “I feel indebted to him who surrenders himself
completely to Me, and ever remembers Me, I shall repay his
debt by giving him salvation.”

Once a rich gentleman came to Baba
in Shirdi and asked for a ‘Quick Brahman Jnana’. To teach
the lesson of Brahman, Baba made him sit in the Masjid and
despite his insistence of ‘Brahman Jnana’ engaged him in some
other talks. Then He called a boy and asked him to go to Nandu
Marwari and get from him a hand loan of Rs. 5/-. The boy went,
but returned saying that Nandu was absent and his house locked.
Then Baba asked him to go to Bala grocer and get from him
the said loan. Again the boy was unsuccessful. This went on
twice, thrice and with the same result. The rich man had a
bundle of currency notes and if he knew that Baba would return
the loan, could have given that money to Baba. He, however,
wanted from Baba the greatest thing in the world ‘Brahman
Jnana’. The rich man, getting impatient again asked Baba about
‘Brahman Jnana’ and Baba told him that He was in fact showing
him ‘Brahman Jnana’ only but unfortunately, he could not see.
It is, thus, the veils of ‘Maya’ which blocks the vision to
the reality of Brahman.

By above preaching Baba conveyed
that for being able to realize and see Brahman one has to
Surrender desires of Five Senses, Mind, Intellect and Ego.
It is only by this process of renunciation/vairagya that one
is able to move towards the path of self realization. As one
achieves richness and strength in his inner purifications,
he is able to attain ‘Brahman Jnana’. The path of ‘Self Realization’
is ‘ as hard as to tread on the edge of a razor.’ All saints
have advocated that to get the knowledge (realization) of
the Self, ‘Dhyana’ is necessary. If one practices it continuously,
the vrittis (thoughts) will be pacified…. To realize Brahman,
one could meditate either on the form or formless nature of
Sai. His formless nature is knowledge incarnate, consciousness
and bliss (Satta, Chitta, Anand). If one cannot do this, he/she
should meditate on His form from top to toe." Hemadpant
in Shri Sai Sacharitra says "Look at Baba's posture,
He is sitting with his legs folded, the right leg held across
the left knee…. By this posture Baba means to say, as it were
if you want to see My light, be egoless and most humble and
meditate on my toe through the opening between the two branches,
index and middle fingers and then you will be able to see
My light. This is the easiest means of attaining devotion,
the ‘Moksha’ the real aim of human existence.

Our human existence will be rendered
meaningless if we are unable to understand the purpose of
this life and know the basic truth of human birth. Human birth
is result of untold sufferings and struggles in eighty four
lakh species. Human form is the most nearer form of God with
inherent God like powers lying dormant in the gross body.
It is awakening of these inherent super natural divine powers
that a man in physical existence realizes his Godly form and
merges his individual consciousness with Universal consciousness.
He is one with Brahman the 'Allah Malik' as Baba used to say.
The path to this sole aim of human birth is inherent in "Surrender"
a ‘Total Surrender' to God Generator of Divinity. Sai is thus
Generator of Divinity Look to Him and seek His blessings for
‘Moksha’.

I am a firm believer in
Baba. My husband has been very unwell for the last two years.
With Baba's grace we have been overcoming all the hurdles.
My husband had to get a liver transplant and after that another
surgery. Every time when I felt helpless suddenly I was given
the strength by some unknown Shakti, which can be Baba only.

The last time my husband
was hospitalised, the biopsy had to take place and before
that I started reading Sai Sacharita with the belief that
the reports will be normal. While reading suddenly a thought
came to me that I should donate a little money to a really
needy person. Also, I kept remembering Baba and asking him
to give me Darshan in some form.

I was on my way to the
hospital when I saw an old man half bend from the waist and
thought that he might be a needy man. I stopped my car and
went to him. The moment I gave the money to him, he looked
at me and then to sky...the vibration I got at that time was
exactly the same that I get when I go to the temple and stand
in front of Baba’a Murti. I am sure it was Him. Well the biopsy
report was okay.

We are still struggling but we know that He is there to take
care of us.
Jai Sai Baba.

Sab: have
you ever thought what this word Sab stands for? It denotes
the whole world. Baba will bless us all with his good wishes
and give strength to think good, hear good and do good acts
in this life.

Sai Nath is the only who
will shower peace on his children every time.

Shyam Prakash
Singh, New Delhi

The person who says that
he is happy and peaceful out of Sai devotion can be termed
as true rather than the one who says that Baba brought this
and that.

Baba should not be interpreted as a wish fulfilling tree.
Though Swami Vivekananda's fame and name reached globally
through his extraordinary lectures and living style yet it
was Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa who was hardly literate, who
was instrumental in bringing the latent talents of Vivekananda
to the World. Thus the best qualification for spiritual progress
is to be humble and simple to the core without boasting of
anything.

One can reduce his ego by doing Service to humanity
One can reduce his ego by doing Service to Guru

I am receiving all the editions of the Sai Heritage E-Zine
newsletter and I also get the Heritage magazine. It is actually
wonderful and very good. I am waiting for every issue. I am
reading the contents with interest. Everything is very, very
good. The last issue of the magazine tells us how will we
get Shradha, Bhakti, Patience, Faith etc. This will help every
devotee to learn from Sai Babaji. Thanks once again for this.

Valsala
Sivadasan, New Delhi

I really look forward
to get Sai Heritage E-Zine newsletter on Thursday. I always
feel a wave of joy overpowers me after reading the newsletter,
as if Sai Baba gives me instructions through the newsletter.
I always try to correct myself through the message I get by
your mail.

Your mails have become
a medium or a platform through which My Lord Shri Sai Baba
communicates with me.

Character And
Moral Values
Contest : Deadline of Submission July 20th 2007
SHRI SHIRDI SAI BABA SANSTHAN, CANADA congratulate children
and young adults who expressed their love for Baba by completing
Chapters 1 to 7 of Shri Sai Satcharita. Those participating
are requested to submit their essay on "Teachings of
Baba" depicting any story from the specified chapters,
highlighting the moral of the Story and how it can be applied
to improve today's society. All entries will Receive Baba’s
Aashirwaad on Guru Purnima Day Celebration on July29 2007.

Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan,
Canada is pleased to announce the establishment of it's first
Resource Centre in Woodbridge, Toronto. All visits are by
appointment only. Shri Sai Satcharita is available in all
languages. The Resource Centre is open Monday to Friday between
10:00 am - 5:00 pm. Location: Maple Crest Private School -
28 Roytech Rd. Woodbridge, On L4L 8E4 Ph: 905 - 652-6666.
For other Details call 416-294-4804 or visit http://www.shirdisainath.org/

SHIRDI SAI MANDIR, TORONTO, CANADA

The Shirdi Sai Mandir located at 2721 Markham Road, Toronto,
Ontario, M1X 1L5 (Intersection of Markham and Nashdene) is
open through out the day on Saturday, Sunday and holidays
and in the morning and evenings on all weekdays. Baba's Kakad
Aarti, Abhishek Puja, Madhyan Aarti, Dhoop Aarti, Satcharita
Reading and Shej Aarti are performed every day. Bhajans and
Sai Naam Sankirtan in the evening on Thursday and Saturday.
For information regarding the daily schedule, temple activities
and events please visit Mandir's website: http://www.theshirdisaimandir.com/
or send an email to info@theshirdisaimandir.com
or call 647-444-4724.

By the grace of our Shirdi
Sai we are happy to announce the inauguration of Shri Shirdi
Sai Temple in LA region in the city of Montebello. We need
the support of all Sai Devotees. For more information please
email krishna@shirdisaila.org

This is to inform all of you that we have a Shirdi Sai Baba
Temple in Malaysia. Here we have daily prayers and special
prayers on thursday mornings 9.00am and bhajans and satsang
from 8 pm onwards. Also breakfast, lunch and dinner, cooked
by our seva-group is provided to all devotees. other than
that first thursday of the month we have talk on spirituality,
second thursday on health, third thursday satsang on Sai Satcharitra,
fourth thursday talk on general topics, by experts in the
respective fields. Lot of charitable activities are conducted
by our Centre,like sponsoring immediate services to childrens\'
homes, old-folks homes, sick and needy, etc. etc.

The dream of having a
full fledged exclusive Shirdi Sai Temple in Singapore, will
soon come true. Thanks to the efforts of a Sai devotee in
making this happen. The Shirdi Sai Baba Centre in Singapore
is now live with the 3rd floor function hall, Sri Vadapathira
Kaliamman temple, being secured and converted to a full fledged
exclusive Shirdi Sai worship centre. The Centre will be devoted
to celebrating the life & teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba
only. For more information visit our website http://www.saisansthan.com

SHIRDI SAI BABA
SANSTHAN, AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND

Shri Shirdi Sai Baba
Sansthan of NZ is celebrating GURU PURNIMA DAY on SUNDAY 29th
July 2007 at Mahatma Gandhi Center, 145 New North Road, Eden
Terrace, Auckland. The Programme for the Guru Purnima Day
is as follows:

You may have given many different
gifts to your friends and loved ones, but giving a subscription of
"Heritage of Shirdi Sai" magazine would be a unique gift as it
connects the people you love with SADGURU SHIRDI SAI and brings His
blessings with the gift.

Topic
of Discussion feature is intended to initiate useful discussions
on topics related to Shirdi Sai Philosophy and His teachings,
Guru Tradition, Teachings of the Sadguru, the nature
and functions of the Perfect Masters, true devotion, qualification
of a disciple, etc.

Send your poem, article
or drawing on SHIRDI SAI BABA and
the selected ones will be showcased in Heritage of Shirdi
Sai Magazine
and in the Children section on our website. Anybody up to
18 years of age can send in the material.

In order to
ensure that Heritage Of Shirdi Sai sustains itself and is available
to devotees at affordable rates, we do solicit advertisements.
However, in keeping with the magazine’s philosophy and
approach, the advertisements would be displayed as banners and not
creative commercial
product.